1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for widening an automotive vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Automobile manufacturers currently market a vehicle known as a van which is popular for use in family camping. For such an application, the interior of the van is usually fitted with an arrangement of items such as sleeping bunks, tables, storage cabinets, sinks, and the like. In most arrangements, such items are grouped around and on opposite sides of a central aisle which is inconveniently narrow. It has been found that adding as little as 12 or 14 inches to the width of the aisle provides a surprisingly great improvement in the available space, especially when a higher or vaulted roof is added to improve headroom. Consequently, it is popular to alter or stretch vans to provide this additional width, particularly since this can be done without violating existing highway regulations.
Such stretched vehicles are now widely used, not only for family camping and the like, but for more vital applications, such as for motel and hotel airport ground transportation, for transporting the elderly and handicapped, for tour buses, for transportation pool vans, for ambulances, and for school buses. The additional stretch width in these vehicles makes possible a variety of seating arrangements, each tailored to the particular application.
The foregoing market for stretched automotive vehicles is adversely affected by the costs of modifying the originally manufactured vehicle.
Heretofore, such vehicles have been modified by utilizing one of at least two cut line systems. In one system, two longitudinal cut lines are made, one on each side of the vehicle, just inside the wheel attachments to the axles. Such twin cut lines involve considerable expense and time, involving attachment of spacer elements at both sides of the vehicle to bridge the stretched distances.
In another prior art cut line system, one cut line is made to the right of the longitudinal centerline to pass around the vehicle engine. This single cut line system is more economical than twin cut lines, but it passes through many cables and other interconnections between the engine and the heater/air conditioner assembly, and these all have to be replaced or extensions have to be added to them. The cut line passed through the dash mount in such a way that refabrication of the dash mount to precisely locate the mounting points for the original hood at the proper distance was extremely difficult. This greatly increased the time and expense required to salvage and remount the original hood.